


Garden Desert

by clumsyghost



Category: Night at the Museum (Movies)
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-03
Updated: 2019-03-03
Packaged: 2019-11-08 22:54:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17990042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clumsyghost/pseuds/clumsyghost
Summary: Jedediah takes Octavius to the Hall of North American Forests where they learn different sides to each other.





	Garden Desert

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Martinus Cornelius (Imion)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Imion/gifts), [HPfanatic12](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HPfanatic12/gifts).



> 'It is marvelous to be so alone, the two of us, in this garden desert.' -Nathaniel Tarn
> 
> If my latin is wrong, please correct me! Jedediah may sound more like a Southerner than a Westerner.
> 
> For Martinus Cornelius, for his inspiration and our fantastic talk about Jed's more poetic side. Also for HPFanatic12, for their lovely stories they wrote me!

Life with Jedediah Strong Smith was generally noisy. No adventure was complete without the energetic cowboy hoopin’ and hollerin’ like the barbarian he was. Octavius had long fallen for the twinkling blue eyes and insufferable crooked smile; the cowboy’s infectious laughter and drawling accent, once annoying, now filled the Roman with affection. It seemed a little unfair that he was rebuked as being dramatic when Jedediah could hype up even the most mundane activity into a cacophony of screaming encouragement. Or insults, when the situation called for it.

Their nightly excursions weren’t **always** rowdy though. On occasion, the two miniatures would talk or sit in companionable silence. Octavius cherished those infrequent moments. He felt privileged to witness a side of Jedediah that few other saw. For all of Jedediah’s friendliness, the cowboy also held a certain reserve.

Tonight appeared to be one of the quiet ones. 

Jed had driven them to the Hall of North American Forests. The journey was long, and Octavius had been grateful when they reached their destination, even if the trees and foliage loomed far above their heads. He kept close to the cowboy as Jed barged through the undergrowth, pointing out this plant and that, keeping up a steady stream of chatter as the general only half listened. They were cresting a hill and the incline was formidable. Not that Jed seemed to notice. 

“Non iterum,” Octavius muttered as his progress was suddenly halted by a tug on his shoulder.

“Hm?” Jed glanced over his shoulder to observe the Roman carefully freeing the edge of his red cloak from a plant frond. “Looks like ya should’ve left your cape back in the car.”

“You know perfectly well I would not have done so.” Octavius dismissed the untimely suggestion with a shake of the head.

“Ya don’t hafta be so formal, ya know. Not when it’s juss me.”

“A Roman General does not let his guard down.”

“That’s a pity.” Jed enjoyed the way Octavius’ expression shifted from sternness to shyness and back again. Strangely, there was no retort forthcoming, and so Jed set off again. They had continued only a few feet when he heard Octavius huff and jerk to a stop again. Jed chuckled to himself.

“Here. Let me.”

“Careful!” Octavius hissed. His concern was unnecessary; Jed’s hands were methodically gentle as he untangled the fabric. A gloved thumb rubbed over the edge in a futile attempt to soothe a crease. Octavius lifted his eyes away from the attentive motion to observe the cowboy’s profile. So calm and serious. And close. False sunlight spun gold out of the blond hair, nicely framing the strong, stubbled jawline. Octavius took a step forward, arguably to inspect the paludamentum though his gaze remained on his friend.

“There ya go, partner. No damage done.” Jed’s eyes suddenly met his own and Octavius felt his throat go dry. Jupiter preserve him.

“G-gratias tibi. You have my gratitude.” The Roman tilted his chin upward. Jed’s smile widened, much to the detriment of Octavius’ steady heartbeat. For some reason the cowboy extended the corner of the cloak towards him, and Octavius blindly reached out in slight confusion to accept. Yet Jed bypassed his hand completely, swishing the fabric under the Roman’s nose.

“You’re such a child!”

Octavius’ face was well worth the resulting punch to the shoulder. Laughter trailed Jed as he sprinted back onto the path, safely away from the other miniature’s exasperation. Octavius took a moment to soothe his irritation before following. Sometimes there was no dealing with Jedediah.

“Here we are!” Jed slowed as they broke into a clearing. “Over here, Ockie, have a look.” 

A diorama of juniper trees and marbled rock formations stretched out below them. To the miniatures, the expanse of land appeared to stretch on endlessly. The craggy plateaus and rock formations held Octavius’ interest the longest; spiking out among the low-clinging trees, no two rocks were the same. Some even defied gravity, dangerously balanced upon edges. The scene held rather too much brown and green for the Roman.

“What do you when you come up here?” He couldn’t bring himself to burst Jed’s obvious delight.

“Relax.” Jed shrugged, not taking his eyes off the land. “Enjoy the peace. Think ‘bout things. You know.”

“Yes,” Octavius agreed softly. Here were no streets of Rome, but he could appreciate that sentiment. “I thank you for the privilege of accompanying you.”

“There ya go again. All formal. ‘Course I don’t mind ya taggin’ along with me. I enjoy your company.” Jed adjusted the brim of his hat and walked off before the Roman could respond. A fallen twig made an inviting seat, but the cowboy opted to sprawl on the ground. Octavius heard a little hum of contentment as Jed leaned his back against the log. After another quick check of their surroundings, Octavius joined his friend. The Roman neatly undid his chin straps and removed the galea.

“Letting your guard down now, hm?”

“Apparently.” Octavius closed his eyes. The quiet was soothing, even if the wind occasionally brought a whiff of gin-like scent. Jed’s words played over again in the Roman’s mind, filling him with warmth. In spite of the cowboy’s nonchalance, Octavius knew how much it meant for Jed to share one of the few escapes he had left. He was determined not to infringe on Jed’s downtime, but that flew out the window after a few minutes. Opening his eyes to steal a peek at his friend, Octavius was greeted with a most unusual sight.

Jed was drawing. Hunched over a small brown notebook propped up on his knee, those brilliant blue eyes were narrowed in concentration. A stubby pencil made careful strokes upon the page.

“What are you drawing?”

“Juss plants, is all.”

“May I see?” 

Jed hesitated. Octavius scooted closer to get a better look. Knobby florets of a thin flower the Roman had never seen before decorated the paper.

“What is this called?”

“Um, pinedrops.” Giving in, Jed extended the sketchbook out. Octavius took it eagerly, studying the drawing closer.

“You posses talent, Jedediah. The detail is quite fine.” Intrigued, Octavius flipped to the previous page. Here, a trio of thistles adorned a corner above a prickly cactus. The opposite page contained a mischievous-looking kitten in a box. The Roman let out a chuckle at the creature’s expression. 

“H-hey! That weren’t an invitation, partner!” Jed’s eyes widened. His attempt to reach for the book was nimbly blocked. “Dadgum it, Ockie!” He rubbed his forearm. Dang Roman and his dang arm bracer. “That there’s personal!”

“Why? Surely you haven’t drawn anything improper.”

“W-what?! You’re one to talk! You an’ yer house filled with…with… things that’d make a grown man blush!” Jedediah had never recovered from touring Octavius’ house. The sheer amount of phallic images posing as ‘art’ had made it impossible to look anywhere polite. Octavius had been genuinely baffled at the cowboy’s scarlet-faced embarrassment.

“It’s juss personal,” he repeated, a little more insistently.

“Paenitemus meum.” Octavius reluctantly handed over the sketchbook. “Forgive me.”

Jed grumbled and stuffed the notebook into a pocket.

“I had no idea that you were artistically inclined.”

“I, well… that is, the real Jedediah Smith was a map-maker, see.” At his friend’s encouraging look, Jed shrugged and adjusted his hat. “When you’re one of the first people to explore a place, you want to take notes an’ draw out your route so you can get back there again, make sense? An’ it gives you something to share with others.”

“Anytime you wish to share your drawings with me, I would be delighted to view them,” Octavius declared. “I meant what I said earlier. You are talented.”

“You’ve juss taken a fancy to the fella who drew ‘em. Means yer biased.” Jed’s smile was back, slight yet soft. Octavius reddened.

“Pardon?” Did Jedediah suspect his feelings? A wave of panic flooded his stomach. He felt too warm and cold at the same time.

“Well, you ain’t subtle. You asked to hold my hand once, ‘member?”

“You asked the same of me!” Remember?! Octavius remembered. He would never forget the sensation of Jed’s hand clasped within his own, the warm serenity that had filled him in what he believed were their final moments. 

“Yep.” To Octavius’ surprise, Jed didn’t try to deny the moment. There was a beat of silence so terribly long that Octavius wanted to stab something with his sword.

“….Well?”

“Well what?” Jed drawled.

“Have you…. taken a fancy in return?” Heat flushed the Roman’s cheeks even as his tone remained even. Octavius’ posture hadn’t changed, but there was a line of tension that Jed couldn’t miss.

The cowboy lightly touched the pocket that housed his sketchbook. His thoughts were drawn to the pages filled with Octavius’ likeness. An embarrassing quantity of pages, that. Just a few more backwards flicks and the Roman would have discovered for himself just what Jed thought of him.

Octavius, smiling without reservation - a grin that disrupted Jed’s heart rhythm like he was being tossed off a cliff.

Octavius, The General. Cold as the Rockies, facade sternly blank. The cowboy understood the need for complete authority as a leader, but it never failed to hurt to see his friend so devoid of warmth.

Octavius, without his helmet, self-consciously touching the gray hairs that curled against his temple. Jed thought it would be mighty fine place to kiss.

Octavius, his mouth a ripple of unamused judgement. Jed especially enjoyed drawing the muscular arms folded across his armored chest. It had taken him a few weeks, but eventually he had gotten the Roman’s disdainful chin tilt down pat.

Octavius, with the very expression he wore now - soft but guarded. His eyes were full of yearning, the secret kind of want that existed without much hope. Jed sketched this version of Octavius the least; at first glance the Roman’s expression appeared sweetly open, but the longer one looked, the more pain seemed to fill in the edges.

Jed sighed. His hand left the sketchbook to settle upon the other miniature’s closed fist.

“You’re alright.” The cowboy squeezed Octavius’ hand. He then gave it a few awkward pats as he cleared his throat. “Yeah. Yeah, I like ya.” 

Silence. Jed made another noise. He felt like squirmin’. The diorama’s lights were suddenly far too warm. And Ockie was too darn quiet. He squeezed the roman’s hand again.

“I weren’t lookin’ for nothin’ like this, Oct. But gettin’ to know you, being your friend and all… it’s made me grateful. I’m happy we met. We may be from different times an’ places, but us being here right now? I wouldn’t wish anything different. Not for all the sunrises in any lifetime. The real Ol’ Jedediah may have made all those discoveries but I wouldn’t want to go on any adventure without you.”

Corny. If he could only stop his mouth a-jawin’! Oct didn’t look too upset at his ramblings, though. In fact, he was leaning closer. Jed went still as a hand cupped the side of his face. Octavius was still leaning, closer and closer until the only thing Jed registered was the sensation of the other man’s lips against his and boy howdy didn’t that feel nice. All nice an’ warm. Nice, yes. _Reaaaal_ nice. Somewhere in the muddled remains of the cowboy’s thoughts, it occurred to him that he wasn’t giving Octavius much reassurement. 

“Mmpph!” Octavius drew back from Jed’s enthusiasm with a laugh. “Calm down!” He initiated another chaste kiss, just as gentle as the first, with similar results. It took some time before Jed settled. It took even longer before either man’s heartbeats resumed a steady rhythm.

“Looks like we both learned somethin’ new ‘bout each other,” Jed drawled once they separated.. He studied the other miniature for future reference; the Roman’s cheeks were a fascinating shade of pink. Creases in the corner of his eyes framed the enlarged pupils, and Octavius’ lips, oh, Octavius’ lips were another thing entirely. Jed didn’t think he could ever draw Octavius’ lips again without feeling all tingly.

“How so? I may have discovered that you are an artist, but you suspected my feelings, did you not?” Octavius boldly brushed a speck of dirt from Jed’s vest. “What exactly did you learn about me?”

“That yer a good kisser,” Jed grinned.

“Oh! Well… you’re pretty…. alright yourself.” Octavius smirked as Jed’s expression momentarily faltered.

“Wow. If that’s how ya want to play, we should be gettin’ back.” The cowboy sprung to his feet in one fluid movement. Octavius reluctantly followed suit.

“I would like to come back here sometime soon.”

“Mmhm. Sounds like a plan.”

“Sounds like a date,” Octavius corrected him. He couldn’t help but smile as Jed tipped his hat in his direction. His heart rate kicked up a notch as the cowboy suddenly reached out and touched his shoulder.

“Hey Ockie?”

“Yes, Jedediah?”

“…….Last one to the car is a rotten egg!”


End file.
